Challenge: A dark Everdistant Utopia
by Teremko
Summary: Challenge inspired from a small debate with Logan-Murder of Crows after reading Neoalfa's story Promises of a Wandering Hero. What would have happened if, instead of killing her with the Azoth Sword, Shirou had used Rule Breaker on Alt. Saber ?


**Challenge : A dark Everdistant Utopia.**

**Disclaimer : I don't own Fate/Stay Night or any characters associated, I don't make any profit (unfortunately T_T) and even if I was, you could never prove anything ! **

**Warning: Spoilers for Fate/Stay Night third Scenario, Heaven's Feel.**

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A dark blade was coming in a downward slash, intent in taking the dark swordswoman's opponent's head but in a flutter of light purple hair, the Servant of speed had retreated all the way back to the other side of the huge cavern. For the first time since the beginning of the battle, Rider had managed to put some distance between her and the corrupted Saber. For the altered swordswoman, a distance of a mere hundred of meters should be nothing, but chains with a nail at the extremity were wrapped around her feet, stopping her from giving chase.

"Useless. Do you really think that mere chains would be able to stop me, Rider?" The altered Saber spoke in a soft whisper, without any emotions aside for the barely contained anger and hostility that was radiating from her petite body. As she finished her sentence, a black fog of magical energy surrounded her and with a mere pull she destroyed the chains. It had taken maybe two seconds for Saber to free herself, but against a Servant as fast as Rider it could as well have been an eternity.

As soon as she had retreated, the purple-haired Servant had started to gather magical energy. With a speed that no modern magi or even most of the Age of Gods' magi would never be able to match, she had drawn a blood red Summoning Circle in the air. As soon as the circle was completed, a giant eye made and bound by her lifeblood appeared as pure white light started to surround her.

The black armored Servant looked coolly at her foe as she readied her sword, pitch dark wind scorching from her weapon, ready to engulf and annihilate the white light. If Rider's Noble Phantasm could be assimilated to a pure white comet, Saber's was a Black Sun, destroying anything coming close. The strongest sword and strongest Noble Phantasm for the strongest Servant.

"Here I come, Saber!" The Servant of speed lowered her stance, pure light totally surrounding her, as the magical energy reached a critical level.

" – Come, Rider – " The black Swordswoman stood straight, weapon remade in a flare of magical energy readied by her side.

"BELLEROPHON" As the true name was casted, the white Pegasus and her rider took in a flash of light, closing on the corrupted Servant.

"EXCALIBUR" As the true name was revealed, the magical energy stored in the once holy sword was unleashed in a pitch black flame.

The two lights collided and started to contest for supremacy. However, that was useless. As strong as Rider was, Saber was by far stronger and any straight contest would always turn in her favor. That was fine, Rider and I were aware of that. That was where my presence in the battle would come in use.

"_Trace, On_." I went into myself, speeding all my thoughts process, making time crawls to a stop. Although using it was shorting my life, I had to use magecraft to help Rider beat Saber. Emiya Shirou's magic was to project so that's what I would do. As Rider's Noble Phantasm was not enough to overpower Saber's, I would project something that would make the difference.

"_I am the bone of my sword - _" Using the Aria to centre myself, I looked for the Noble Phantasm I knew would lead us to victory. The strongest defense Archer knew, an impenetrable shield said to be as strong as several castles. I brought it in the world using his true name.

"RHO AIAS - " A shield said to have stopped the Hero Hector's spear during the Trojan War, the ultimate protection. In its released form, the shield looked like a seven petals flower. The projection was weaker though, as only four out of the seven petals appeared in front of Rider, Protecting her from the incoming black light.

"Urgh…" As soon as the dark Noble Phantasm collided with the shield, I felt pain as my nerves muscles and organs started to tear from the strain. I had to grip my left arm with my right to make sure I maintained the projection. As long as the lights were competing I couldn't let go of the shield or Rider would be instantly annihilated. The magical backlash from maintaining the shield, combined with the use of my left arm was tearing myself apart. Not only my body, but everything that was making me Emiya Shirou was slowly being eroded. Still, I had to keep the shield up.

Suddenly, it was over. Rho Aias shattered in an explosion of magical energy, shattering the balance between the two lights. Black and white light swirled together in a crazy yin-yang symbol before filling the whole cavern.

The explosion sent Rider flying back at the same speed she charged with, before she was brutally stopped by a wall in a sickening noise. I had to repress a wince at that. Even though such an impact shouldn't be able to kill a Servant, I doubted Rider would be able to get up immediately.

Saber on the other hand was hit with the remaining light from Bellerophon and fell back on the ground on her back. While Rider had to use almost all of her magical energy, Saber seemed to have kept some power. Even though she had been quite injured by the Noble Phantasm, she was already regenerating. She really was the strongest Servant. Even with the help of Rho Aius, almost ninety percents of the magical energy behind Bellerophon had been deflected by her sword, and whatever wounds she had were quickly healing.

"SABER!" So I ran. I ran to her, unsheathing the Azoth sword, and straddled her defenseless waist, my arm raised and ready to bring it down on her heart. From so close, I could feel clearly the huge amount of magical energy she still had in her and knew I had to stop her now before she could heal further.

"Shi- rou." Her tone of voice was closer to the blue-clad Servant that had been my shield and sword for a few days, than the cold and emotionless killing machine she had become after being corrupted. Even though I knew I had to kill her if I wanted to stop and save Sakura, I paused for a moment. Since I had straddled her waist, and for the first time since Archer's arm had been transplanted, I felt like my head and body were totally mine. The burning poison that was Archer's magical energy was muted by a soothing sensation and the broken red haze that was my mind seemed to clear itself. As I looked down to the fallen Swordswoman, I started to think. I knew how I would free Sakura from her contract with the Grail and the Servant Avenger, but as I felt now, and with magical energy from the Azoth sword, I was sure I could do the same for the Servant in front of me.

"_Trace, On_" Ever since Sakura had revealed to be bound by a contract with the grail, this Noble Phantasm had been on my mind so its appearance in my hand went smoothly and faster than any other projection. My right hand now had in its grip a strange weapon. It had an ornate hilt, and a serrated polychromatic blade without an edge, which made it awkward to use in a battle. However, this knife's purpose was not to be used in battle. Rule Breaker, the dagger of treachery. Given to Medea of Colchis by Discord, the Greek goddess of Treason, it was a cursed blade made with the sole purpose to destroy magical construction and pacts and contracts.

"Rule Breaker" Saying its true name, and without taking my eyes from Saber's, I brought my right arm down and pierced her with the dagger. Normally, Saber's armor would be more than enough to stop the poor piercing power of this dagger, but as it was a magical armor, she was as good as naked in front of Rule Breaker. Instantly, light and magical energy surrounded the two of us as I felt a searing pain on my right hand. There, three Command Spell had come back to my great surprise as I didn't think possible for a Master who had given up his rights to get them back. Suddenly, a greater pain ran within my body, making me jerk my head back and scream…

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**AN: **Well here I am. Sorry for not releasing another chapter of Tales of a Faker, but I just finished my exams. I'm working on the next chapter of ToF and it should come on next week if everything goes as I wish! Thanks for everybody reviewing my work and giving me advices or constructive critics.

Well as it is said in the title, it's a challenge for a Fate/Stay Night story. I got the idea while reading **Neoalfa's** story: **Promises of a Wandering Hero**, which I recommend you! After reviewing a chapter from this story, I got into a debate with **Logan-Murder of crows** which gave me the idea for this challenge. Normally, I would have kept the idea for later and try to write a story myself, but as I don't have a lot of time and I want to write ToF first, I send this challenge. If I ever have more time on my hands, I'll try to make a story of it ^^

The short prologue was given to introduce the situation. It was taken from the Visual Novel Fate/Stay Night, with some modification to make a continuous text. As usual, feel free to point me any grammatical or spelling mistakes as it can only improve my written English.

**Challenge**** : **Instead of killing Saber with the Azoth sword, Shirou trace Rule Breaker and use it to sever Saber's contract with Sakura.

**Criteria****: **

**Avalon heals Shirou to an extent and makes the use of his arm more bearable**. (From **Logan**, Avalon shouldn't be able to heal those damages because Archer's arm is basically HIS arm and not an outside cause. I don't really agree because it would mean that Shirou could potentially die from cancer, even with Avalon … In a way, Archer's arm could be assimilated to an extreme kind of cancer … **AN**: a good friend of mine died from a brain tumor and some of my family from lung cancer so if people think I'm making light of cancer, it is absolutely not my intention)

**Alt. Saber stays altered. She doesn't in any way come back to normal Saber. How her dark alignment will influence Shirou via Avalon is up to you. **

**Shirou IS a Master again, with three Command Spells. **(In Fate/Zero, after Assassin's loss against Rider, Kirei gave up his rights as a Master, but after a discussion with Gilgamesh, he got them back, even before his father was killed so I'm sure Command Spells can be given back even to a Master who lost them).

**Pairing up to the battle against Saber in the VN was Shirou/Sakura. You can add Dark Saber and Rider or anyone you want to the pairing, but they have to be well introduced. Same if you want to remove the Sakura/Shirou pairing, you have to give a good explanation in the story. **

**Keeping the story in the Nasuverse or introduce any crossover is up to you. **

**Even if not romantically involved, Rin and Rider have an important supporting role concerning Shirou. **(IE: if Sakura was to die, Rin makes a contract with Rider and keep teaching Shirou about magecraft)

**Like Gilgamesh, being corrupted by the Holy Grail gave Alt. Saber a true body of flesh, and basically a new life. Her personality was altered because her ego was way weaker than Gilgamesh'. It means that Alt. Saber can live in the world without any anchor like the Holy Grail or even a Master. **

I think that's all I can think of. If another criterion comes up, I will add it on this.

If you decide to take up this challenge, please send me a PM with the link to the story so I can read it!


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